Gothic Blood
by Lady Lestat
Summary: Mainly focusing on Nigel this fic is set in a creepy gothic castle and because I'm mean I'm not going to tell you anymore about it! lol. Please review!
1. Castle

Disclaimer - I don't own Relic Hunter, only the story idea and any original characters I create are mine. (although I have taken inspiration from a few movies ;P)   
  
Chapter I  
  
Glancing fearfully behind him, Nigel swiped at the lock of unruly brown hair that threatened to obscure his vision as he crept further down the narrow, dark and dank tunnel that was in a dire state of decay and appeared as though it would collapse at any moment.  
  
Cursing the fact that there had only been one rotting wooden torch in the rusting bracket on the wall at the entrance to the passage, he quickened his pace to catch up to Sydney and the bright flame she was carrying, which seemed to be his only salvation in this festering old gothic castle that had probably been magnificent in its day, a palace of beauty and splendour, its occupants being of the highest nobility.  
  
Thinking wistfully of the glorious heat of the sun beating down on the ancient, yet still functional, vineyards and the bustle of the native people on market day along the wide lengthy boulevards of the Louvre Valley outside there was no doubt about it that the handsome young teaching assistant would much prefer to be among them. Perhaps even rifling through the odd box of old French literature that so often turned up in these huge displays of culture and trade.  
  
Feeling a pang of slight annoyance towards the renowned relic hunter a few steps ahead of him he reasoned that it had been his choice to follow her into this putrid hole, she had given him the option to wait for her in the car. Nigel knew he was lucky to have the job that he did and realized that he would follow Sydney anywhere if she asked him.  
  
Thinking the better of voicing his musings, he settled instead for gritting his teeth, getting a better grip on his backpack and his nerves and continued to walk, determidly ignoring the colossal rat that had just scampered over his right foot. He really was getting better at controlling his internal instincts to flee, screaming for the nearest exit at the moment something slightly unpleasant happened.  
  
Hearing a faint grunt of frustration from the beautiful, slightly oriental looking woman in front of him Nigel moved closer to the light to get a better perspective at what was going on. On further scrutiny he realized the Sydney was struggling with what looked like a wall blocking the passage. However as he took the flaming brand from her and raised it above his head he realized that not only had the ceiling risen considerably, but that the wall was in fact a huge pair of heavy wooden doors with a weighty looking length of wood barring their opening.  
  
The appearance of the doors was of plain elegance, purpose built to prevent any body getting out or in of whatever lay beyond. The carvings in the doors matched the grandeur of the castle yet there was a certain simplicity about them that gave the viewer the impression that they were definitely forged for durability over style.  
  
From Nigel's point of view the obvious purpose of these doors was ringing true as he watched his employer struggle with the heavy beam stopping them from advancing any further.   
  
Admitting defeat, Sydney gave a sigh of irritation as she slumped back against the adjacent wall to catch her breath, certain that the barrier wouldn't budge. As she was steadying herself to stand she saw Nigel pad slowly over to the doors that towered over them both.  
  
With an unreadable expression on his face Nigel reached out uncertainly for the door, laying his right hand softly on the wooden beam he gave a short gasp of surprise as he felt a sudden warmth emanating from the coarse surface.   
  
Feeling his hand glued to the blockade, the heat steadily built and he could hear Sydney demanding answers of him, what was going on? As the wood began to burn fiercely Nigel managed to wrench his hand away with a shout. Collapsing on the floor in shock he looked on in horror as he realized the beam had snapped in a small explosion of splinters and dust and the large overbearing doors were gradually beginning to part and creak open.  
  
AN - I hope that you enjoyed the beginning of this story, I tried to make it reasonably atmospheric. I was running out of ideas for my other story, 'The Sword of Sir Galahad' and I felt like trying something new, a different style of writing maybe. Anyway I hope you keep tuning in and please review to let me know what you think, like/dislike, where I should go from here, that sort of thing. It would mean a lot if you did. Until next time, byee! 


	2. Temple

**Disclaimer**- I don't own Relic Hunter.  
  
**Chapter II**  
  
Dust filtered lazily from the ceiling as the darkness within the chamber beyond slowly began to rise. Coughing slightly in the dust, Nigel got shakily to his feet from where he had fallen in surprise. He could sense Sydney beginning to gather her bearings beside him as they both peered into the gloom.  
  
A light breeze played across the young mans face as though invisible fingers were reaching out to caress his cheek. He suppressed a shiver. Glancing over at Sydney he could see that she appeared unaffected by the growing sense of apprehension he could feel in his own mind.   
  
As they progressed further into the dingy hall a cobweb drifted from a rusty hanging metal dish to tickle his neck. Fighting the urge to turn and run, Nigel comforted himself with the thought of the great history of the room. He could tell that the metal dish probably would have held oil in its days of use to act as a giant light.  
  
Taking this information into consideration and the fact that there was more of the burners dotted along the walls, he judged the hall to be a kind of temple. Leaning in closer to the stone walls, he thought he could make out intricate drawing underneath the hefty layers of dust.  
  
"Nigel."   
  
Looking round he could see Sydney beckoning him to view the section of wall she had been looking at. Acknowledging her request with a nod Nigel made it halfway across the floor.  
  
Nigel…  
  
He spun around. No one there. Could he have imagined it? Brushing off the idea and the strange look Sydney was giving him, he continued over to where she stood. Feeling better, he took a closer look at the fine artwork and agreed with his employer that the curling lines, deep colour and the obvious attention to detail of the work was exquisite.   
  
Nigel…  
  
The voice again. Touching his mind like an invading spirit. Who could it be? Sydney was looking at him oddly again, saying something. Her lips were moving but no sound was coming out. How strange.  
  
Nigel…  
  
What an inexplicable sensation. A strand of his soft brown hair fell into his ayes but he didn't move to brush it away. He felt drawn to whatever it was at the other end of the chamber. It was pulling at him, begging him to come closer. Warming him, yet he was ice cold.  
  
Nigel…  
  
It was getting stronger now. His feet were moving of their own accord. He was gliding, his hair torn from his face as a sudden wind blew strongly through the room. A white face loomed out of the darkness. The wind had stopped. He had stopped. Time seemed to have stopped. He was in a moment frozen in time.  
  
**AN** - Well, hope you all enjoyed that. I know it's short but with all the work I have at the moment it's all I could find time to write. Please review and tell me what you think, your comments are very important to me.  
  
**Reviewers Feedback**:  
  
**Kazuki Landen** - My first reviewer! Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad you like the description, I never normally write like this so I'm pleased you approve!  
  
**quelofox** - Thank you for the review, the encouragement is much appreciated.  
  
**VampyrAnawiel** - Thanks for the vote of confidence. I hope you like the update, chapter three should prove more interesting though if I ever get around to writing it!  
  
**Lady Chekov** - I'm glad you like my writing style and I did try out your idea of using short sentences as well as long ones so I hope you like the result.   
  
**SilverBlood666** - Thanks for the encouragement, I'm glad your looking forward to reading more, always a good sign!  
  
**Airefree051** - Hope you enjoyed the new chapter, thanx for the review! 


	3. Statue

**Disclaimer** - I don't own Relic Hunter.  
  
**Chapter III  
**  
The statue was beautiful. Nigel felt breathless as he stood in awe of it. A woman, almost naked, dressed in flowing sheets that rippled, jewellery adorning both arms, both ankles, every finger. She looked like a queen - no a goddess.  
  
From her stately position on her throne she gazed down upon Nigel, the lines of her face giving off waves of pure power and an almost frosty elegance.  
  
The figure was of cold, lifeless marble. Yet it seemed that the very air pulsed with a steady, near deafening heartbeat, drowning out all other sounds.  
  
Nigel…  
  
Except for that sound of course. That voice that reverberated within him, merging with the very fibre of his being. He could see Sydney struggling with an invisible force in the corner of his eye. Some sort of unseen wall was holding her back, trapping her.  
  
Maybe he ought to help her. A nagging feeling in the back of his head was telling him to go to her. He was about to turn -  
  
Nigel…  
  
Of course my lady. How could I forget you? My beautiful Goddess, your sensual lips that make me yearn for their touch. Your husky voice that calls me ever closer. Your velvety skin begs for me to caress it, I'm drowning in your heartbeat.  
  
My heart and your heart, pumping as one; it's almost as if we are joined as the same being. My veins feel as if they were about to burst.  
  
His soft brown eyes now emotionless riveted on the statue's cold, hard face, all thoughts of Sydney were gone as he stepped forward.  
  
"Nigel, what are you doing?" Sydney called out, desperately, "come back, you don't know what will happen. Listen to me, Nigel, please!" Unable to reach him, she looked on in horror as the handsome young man came to a halt at the statue's feet.  
  
Slowly reaching out, Nigel softly grazed the statue's cheek with his fingertips. Swamped with the roar of blood in his ears, he was oblivious to all else as he closed the gap between his face and the statue's own.   
  
The lips appeared welcoming, as if pleading to feel his own mouth on them They were slightly parted and seemed alive, no more the chilly stone they once were.  
  
Closing his eyes, Nigel gently pressed his lips to those of the white Goddess presiding over the darkened chamber.  
  
**AN** - Hope you enjoyed the latest instalment no matter how short it once again is. Things will definitely be heating up a little more in the next chappie, bet you can't guess why! Plus, I realize that I do have the occasional, numerous spelling error.Please either ignore them or tell me so I can sort them out if they really bother you, cheers! Please continue to review, I love hearing what you all have to say. :)   
  
**Reviewers feedback**  
  
**Kazuki Landen** - Thank you so much for reviewing twice. It's nice to know you're checking up on the story.  
  
**Snaggle** - I hope this is spooky enough for you, it's creepy at least.  
  
**Airefree051** -Another person who reviewed twice! Believe me, it gets creepier. Although, actually I'm not really sure what to do with Nigel so I'm as much in the dark as you are at the moment!  
  
**Meggo** - Wow, I'd love it if they put this on the TV! Not that that would ever happen, but it would be so cool if they did. You could be right with your theory, but then again, I change my mind a lot so you never know.  
  
**Kas7** - Sorry, I have a habit for writing cliff hangers. I don't mean to, I just can't think of any more to write!


	4. Wind

**Disclaimer** - I don't own Relic Hunter.  
  
**Chapter IV**  
  
His eyes snapped open . His blood was pounding through his veins and he felt a sudden coppery taste in his mouth. Wanting to spit out whatever it was Nigel found that he couldn't move. He couldn't breathe; the salty liquid was filling up his mouth and his lungs couldn't seem to take in any air. Realizing he had no other choice he steeled his nerves and began to gulp whatever it was down.  
  
Nearly fainting in shock as his body went rigid Nigel let out a sudden choked gasp as a red hot pain lanced through him. He felt as if his very soul was on fire. The heartbeats pounding was growing louder by the second but still that chilling now seductive voice was calling his name.  
  
Nigel…  
  
There was another sound rising around him, taking over his mind with its persistence. Screaming. Men, woman and children alike in their cacophonic hysteria. The statues lips felt like molten metal. A strong wind whistled through the lengthy hall and the screams harmonized with its shriek.  
  
Sydney ceased her struggling against the invisible force holding her back as she crouched down to avoid the berating wind. Lightening flashed from some unseen source, but how could this be? They were inside a building! Squinting her eyes as tears ran from them as the bitter wind stung her eyeballs she peered up at the pedestal where Nigel was.  
  
Biting back a gasp of fear she looked on helplessly as her friend's eyes turned crimson and his frozen body appeared to be encircled in hazy wisps of a purplish mist. An almighty roar shook the chamber and for a moment, as the lightening flashed, Sydney could have sworn the statue was alive and blinked at her.  
  
Nigel's hair was blowing wildly about his stricken face and as the wind tossed it he could glimpse the twisting strands turning jet black. The screams in his ears grew to unbearable proportions and he was sure his ears would start to bleed. He felt as though he would be ripped apart in this tremendous onslaught of his senses.  
  
Yet as suddenly as it had started it stopped. A eerie calm descended on the picture as the wind died and each of the oil burners flared into life as one. Movement came back to him and he collapsed to the floor as his legs gave way beneath him. His vision no longer held a scarlet tint and he became aware of someone breathing rapidly behind him  
  
Turning he saw Sydney swiping her windswept hair out of her eyes. Reaching out to her he was shocked when she flinched slightly out of his grasp. Focusing on her face, however, Nigel could tell that she wasn't staring at him in a sense of abject horror. Apprehensive of what he might see, Nigel slowly turned his gaze to the woman sitting on the throne.  
  
Her garments fluttered slightly in the slight breeze of remaining trapped wind and strands of her long black hair floated lazily around her head. The gold necklaces and bracelets clinked a little as she moved in her seat to look haughtily down on the two terrified young adults cowering at her feet.  
  
Her pale pink lips somewhat at the corners to unveil a terrible smile, beautiful, but unsettling as she witnessed Sydney's abrupt mood change to reveal her usual attitude of utter determination.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."   
  
**AN** - OK, after much deliberation I managed to dreg this up out of my imagination. I wonder if any of you can guess what is going to happen next? Hope you all like what happened in this instalment anyway. Please read and review, I promise to answer every comment you make in the next chapter   
  
**Reviewers Feedback  
**  
**Airefree051** - This is getting to be a regular thing, lol. Thank you for your review, you always say such encouraging things. Hopefully in the next chapter you might get a few explanations, I'll see what my muse come up with.  
  
**Silverblood666** - Hello again, thank you for your review, I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter!  
  
**Meggo** - I know it's creepy and I assure you there is nothing wrong with me, lol. I know it seems a bit odd what Nigel is doing but it needs to be this way to tie in with the rest of the story and it is supposed to be a creepy story, so if I weirded you out then I must be doing a reasonable job, right? (Besides, who said Nigel was doing this voluntarily anyway?!) 


	5. Queen

Disclaimer – I don't own relic hunter.

AN – So sorry for the never ending wait – inspiration was taking an incredibly long vacation.

Nigel could almost feel himself growing paler by the second and nearly fell when a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea swept over him. The fearsome figure before the two relic hunters seemed to look concerned for moment, but Sydney dismissed the impression as a trick of the flickering light. The former statue advanced on the two, her stark white hand reaching out towards Nigel, as though to grasp his shoulder. Sydney darted forward and pulled her friend out of reach.

"Now I think my guardian should be able to make up his own mind about what he wants to do, young relic hunter. Besides, he has my markings now, why should he wish to remain with you?"

A slight furrowing of the eyebrows was the only movement in the face of the mysterious woman. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that Sydney suddenly noticed the foreign looking tribal markings slowly snaking their way, tattoo-like, along the arms and legs of the woman, a few of the black lines going so far as to curl delicately along her cheekbones. Even her skin appeared to be gradually darkening in tone until it became a more human looking caramel colour. She looked like an African queen which, while an amazing sight, was somewhat out of place in the bowels of a gothic castle in a French valley.

"What do you mean 'guardian'? What have you done to him? If you've hurt him in any way you'll have me to deal with!" Sydney growled. She never liked not knowing what was going on, and this was apparently going to be one of those times.

"Syd..." Nigel's worried voice chipped in. Turning towards her assistant, Sydney was stopped in her tracks with shock at the sight of him. Nigel's hair seemed to have grown slightly so that the silky, straight locks that had been turned jet black now reached his collar and danced in front of his eyes. His soft brown eyes now seemed more piercing and clear somehow, despite being currently widened with panic. The same markings that had just materialized on the woman had spread their way across his skin too.

While Nigel's appearance had changed dramatically, Sydney had to admit that he would probably have looked a great deal more fearsome and impressive were he not still dressed in khaki cargo pants and a tight black t-shirt with a white and blue short sleeved shirt unbuttoned and thrown over the top. The binoculars didn't help much either. Sydney gave herself a mental shake to turn her attention back to more important things than her friend's fashion sense.

"Ahhh, you wear your allegiance well my love." The woman whispered in an admiring tone. "But why not complete the picture? Go to the wall on your right and push in the apple the handmaid is holding in the frieze. In the chamber beyond you will find that I have kept all your old attire in perfect condition for the day that you returned to me."

"Your love?" Nigel gaped at the beauty before him, "B-but I don't even know who you are…I don't want to…" Sydney looked on in horror as Nigel made his way over to the right-hand wall, apparently without having made any conscious decision to do so. The relic hunter tried to bring him back to her, but found herself trapped in place by the same force that had stopped her before.

"What are you doing to him you bitch?" Sydney yelled in frustration, "Let me go!" The woman ignored her, her sharp black eyes focussed eagerly on Nigel's form as he slowly reached out and pressed the apple in to the wall. A dull click resounded through the chamber, mixing in with the after echo of Sydney's shout, followed by a grinding sound and a section of the wall slid aside to reveal a doorway. "No!" Sydney cried as Nigel disappeared through the dark hole.

"We will soon be one once more." The woman stated with a small smile as she moved her eyes to train on Sydney. She looked somewhat amused as she casually viewed the young woman's struggles against the invisible force that held her firmly in place. "You're wasting your energies you know, you cannot hope to equate yourself with my power."

"We'll see about that." Grunted Sydney as she strained, without success, to take even a step forward. The woman actually laughed genuinely instead of mockingly.

"You clearly do not realize who you are speaking to, Mortal. Do you not understand that here, in Egypt, I am considered a Goddess to my subjects? Granted it has been many years since my treacherous brother imprisoned me to become Pharoah in my place, but he shall not be difficult to overthrow. I was always the better child; the one with the greater gifts, intelligence, beauty. I have the love of the people, not he!" Her features that had suddenly contorted with rage smoothed into a serene expression just as quickly as they'd changed. "But that is not the point is it? The point is that you have no hope of overcoming my power and so it would be wise to cease this foolhardy pursuit of trying to steal away my love's affection for yourself."

For a moment, Sydney was completely floored. Love Nigel? As a friend definitely, but as a lover, well, that was, well, come on, it's Nigel! Sweet, safe, adorable, handsome…hmmm. Can't think of this now. "Well, sweetie, you aren't in Egypt anymore – this is the middle of France and you said you wanted to be Pharoah? Well it looks like you're about two thousand years too late for that appointment!"

The woman looked shocked to the core by the news and Sydney found herself able to move again. However, before she could significantly cover the distance between her and the door through which Nigel had disappeared, the woman narrowed her eyes and threw out a hand, viciously clamping the relic hunter in place once more. "You lie!" she snarled, her face a vision of beauty even whilst contorted in fury. "But it matters not what obscenities you spout, mortal, for I can sense my love is returning and I think I shall give him the pleasure of silencing you once and for all!"


End file.
